Archive for May 2010

This is a painting I did after reading Jim Kosvanec’s book “Transparent Watercolor”. Before reading this book, I did not know the difference between opaque and transparent pigments! In fact I was preferring the opaque colours because it was easier to correct mistakes, but then my washes kept turning to MUD. I followed Mr Kosvanec’s recommendations and used only transparent pigments – perm. rose, alizarin crimson, raw sienna, burnt sienna, new gamboge, cobalt blue, viridian and hookers green. The greys and the black were mixtures of these pigments as well. I was very pleased with the luminous & resplendent colours achieved and have been carefully using transparent pigments ever since. All Winsor & Newton colours on 9″ by 11″ Cotmans coldpressed 140lbs watercolour paper.

My reference photo was an old postcard from my collection of Malaysian national costumes pictures. No photo credit shown on the postcard so if any photographer out there recognizes the picture, let me know!

This is the little creek that runs through the park near my house. Nothing special about it, although a few of my neighbours tried to improve matters by planting water plants on its bank, like rushes and papyrus, an effort doomed to failure because there is a tide and the water is therefore definitely brackish.

I was painting the patch of light on the slowly flowing water, using the last of my Lanaquarelle rough papers.